Is Okinawan sweet potato the same as Hawaiian sweet potato?

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Mashed Okinawan Sweet Potatoes
Ingredients
Preparation
Okinawan Sweet Potato
Taste and Texture
Plant Biology
What is the Hawaiian sweet potato called?
Is purple sweet potato the same as Okinawan sweet potato?
Is ube and Okinawan sweet potato the same?
Why are Hawaiian Sweet Potatoes purple?

Did you know that Okinawan sweet potatoes were recently highlighted by Dr. Oz as being one of the top Superfoods of 2010?1 This vibrantly purple sweet potato, a locally grown staple of Hawaiian cuisine, is rich in flavor and packed with nutritional benefits. With Okinawan sweet potatoes in abundance this time of year, they make the perfect addition to your Thanksgiving meal.

The Okinawan sweet potato is not related to the potato but is actually in the morning glory family. Native to the Americas, it was brought to Japan sometime between 1492 and 1605. The hardy plant grew well in Japan and quickly became popular in a variety of Japanese dishes.2 When it eventually made its way to the Hawaiian Islands, brought by the Polynesians, the crop flourished in the rich volcanic soil.3

Sweet potatoes of all varieties are high in vitamin A, vitamin C and manganese. They are also a good source of copper, dietary fiber, vitamin B6, potassium and iron. Sweet potatoes are known to improve blood sugar regulation and some studies have discovered significant antibacterial and antifungal properties. The primary nutritional benefit, and the one for which Okinawan sweet potatoes are especially prized, is their high antioxidant levels.4 The antioxidant known as anthocyanin is the pigment which is responsible for the brilliant purple color of the flesh. It is the same pigment that gives blueberries, red grapes and red cabbage their color.5

Blueberries are well known for their high antioxidant levels, however, the Okinawan sweet potato actually has 150 percent more antioxidants than blueberries.6 Antioxidants help to guard against cardiovascular disease and cancer. How nice to find out that such a creamy and delicious vegetable, a staple in many Hawaiian homes, is so nutritious as well! Add a splash of color and a healthy dose of antioxidants to your Thanksgiving table. One easy way is to substitute regular potatoes with Okinawan sweet potatoes when making mashed potatoes this holiday season. Use all the same ingredients you would use with mashed potatoes. You can also cut down on cholesterol with this tasty mashed sweet potato recipe:

Mashed Okinawan Sweet Potatoes

Ingredients

3 lbs. Okinawan sweet potatoes
1 can of coconut milk
cinnamon powder to taste
salt to taste

Preparation

Peel the Okinawan sweet potatoes and chop into 1 inch cubes.
Boil potatoes for 30 minutes or until soft (will turn dark purple), then drain.
Mash the purple potatoes while adding in coconut milk and cinnamon powder to taste. Add sea salt to taste if desired.
Makes 12 servings.

Footnotes

"5 Superfoods to eat now." 10 2 2010. The Dr. Oz Show. 4 Nov 2011
Smith, S.E. "What are Okinawan Sweet Potatoes?" 18 July 2011. Wise Geek. 4 November 2011
Vanaman, Bonnie. "Okinawan Sweet Potato Nutrition." 11 August 2011. Livestrong.com. 4 11 2011
"Sweet Potatoes." 2010. The Worlds Healthiest Foods. 4 Nov 2011
Lim, Soyoung. "K-State Researcher Studies the Anti-Cancer Capabilities of a Specila Purple Sweet Potato." 9 June 2009. Kansas State University. 4 Nov 2011
Vanaman, Bonnie. "Okinawan Sweet Potato Nutrition." 11 August 2011. Livestrong.com. 4 11 2011

Is Ube the same thing as a purple Okinawan sweet potato?

It can be easy to confuse Okinawan sweet potatoes and ube – a type of yam – because of their rich purple color, but make no mistake, they are two different ingredients.

Here are some of the major taste, nutrition, and biological differences and similarities between these two crops. Even with their differences, substituting purple sweet potatoes for ube works great in a pinch. Only a true connoisseur will taste the subtle difference.

Okinawan Sweet Potato

ʻUala, or sweet potatoes, were brought to Hawaiʻi by Polynesian voyagers. Before European contact there were over 200 varieties of ʻuala in Hawaiʻi.

The Okinawan sweet potato variety originated in South America and was brought to Japan in the 1600’s, with the first plantings in Okinawa. These purple tubers were brought to Hawai‘i with Japanese sugar plantation workers in the early 1900s and have since become a local favorite.

Ube

Ube is Tagalog – the national language of the Philippines – for the purple yam native to Southeast Asia that has since been naturalized in South America, Africa, Australia, and the southeastern United States. It is also known as the “winged” or “water” yam in English.

Uhi – a Hawaiian yam – is a canoe crop of the same species as ube (Dioscorea alata). Very popular in the Philippines, ube is used in many traditional dishes and modern desserts, such as ice cream and cake. While ‘uala is an important staple crop in Hawai’i, uhi never achieved this status.

Interested in growing ube? Check out HIP Agriculture’s informative planting video to learn about growing your own ube!

Taste and Texture

Both ube and Okinawan sweet potato have a similar sweet, earthy flavor, with ube carrying hints of pistachio and vanilla.
Sweet potatoes have a drier texture while ube is more moist; some have even likened ube to an Irish potato!
In Hawaiʻi, one traditional differentiator is that ʻuala can be made into poi by adding water, while uhi is not sticky enough and too mealy to create poi.

Nutrition

Why are ube and Okinawan sweet potatoes both so purple? Their purple coloring actually comes from anthocyanins, powerful antioxidants which help to guard against cardiovascular disease and cancer.
Okinawan sweet potato has a lower Glycemic Index than ube does (46 vs.79), meaning it is less likely to cause large increases in blood sugar levels and may support weight loss and prevent chronic diseases related to obesity – such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.

Plant Biology

The skin of Okinawan sweet potato is thin, like an Irish potato, and can be eaten. Ube has a thick, bark-like skin, which allows the crop to store for longer, but is unpleasant to eat.
Okinawan sweet potatoes are in the morning glory family and completely unrelated to yams, such as ube.
Yams, such as ube and uhi, take a full year’s cycle to grow a crop while purple sweet potatoes mature quickly, in just about 3 to 7 months.

While ube may be hard to find, boosting your diet with nutritious bright purple colors is easy with our steamed and frozen ʻuala. Check out our Farm-to-Table Sweet Potato Gnocchi home recipe for a rich dish packed with antioxidants that is simple to make!

What is the Hawaiian sweet potato called?

Three were essential staple food crops — kalo (taro), ulu (breadfruit), and uala (Hawaiian sweet potato).

Is purple sweet potato the same as Okinawan sweet potato?

Is Ube the same thing as a purple Okinawan sweet potato? It can be easy to confuse Okinawan sweet potatoes and ube – a type of yam – because of their rich purple color, but make no mistake, they are two different ingredients.

Is ube and Okinawan sweet potato the same?

Ube is very similar to Okinawan sweet potato (which is actually native to the United States) — both have the same color skin (though some Okinawan sweet potatoes have light-colored skin) and a bright purple flesh, but ube tend to have darker skin.

Why are Hawaiian Sweet Potatoes purple?

The purple coloring of the potato was cultivated here in Okinawa. Eventually, Polynesians brought the purple sweet potato to the rich, volcanic soils of Hawaii, where it continues to flourish today. About that purple coloring? The color comes from anthocyanins.